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Coverage dated October 14, 2025 to October 15, 2025

‘Chicago Rat Hole’ is not imprint of rat, study suggests

Headline from The Hill

A new study suggests that Chicago's iconic sidewalk rat hole is likely not the imprint of a rat at all.

The Hill's own description from its feed. We collect headlines and these descriptions, not full articles; read the original reporting below.

Read the reports

Reports & sources

18 articles, oldest first.

  1. Bangor Daily News

    Ah, rats! Researchers say some other critter likely created Chicago's 'rat hole' sidewalk landmark (opens Bangor Daily News)

    Published

    Bangor Daily News's feed description

    Ah, rats!Researchers think they have debunked the origin of Chicago's so-called “rat hole,” one of the Windy City's weirdest local landmarks.Hold on. The

  2. Fox32 Chicago

    Chicago's viral 'rat hole' wasn't a rat after all, study suggests (opens Fox32 Chicago)

    Published

    Fox32 Chicago's feed description

    The “Chicago Rat Hole” mystery is likely solved, as it appears it's not a rat after all. It’s nuttier than you think.

  3. Newsweek

    Cause of Chicago’s viral ‘rat hole’ finally discovered–and it’s not a rat (opens Newsweek)

    Published

    Newsweek's feed description

    Despite its online fame, no one ever formally analysed the imprint to confirm what left it in the sidewalk—until now.

  4. ABC 11 Raleigh

    Study claims to solve mystery behind infamous 'Chicago Rat Hole' (opens ABC 11 Raleigh)

    Published

    ABC 11 Raleigh's feed description

    The mystery of that infamous "Chicago Rat Hole" on the sidewalk may be solved as a study in Biology Letters concludes it was actually a squirrel.

  5. The Guardian

    Chicago ‘Splatatouille’ was probably a squirrel, say researchers (opens The Guardian)

    Published

    The Guardian's feed description

    Scientists from University of Tennessee, Knoxville, look at 37 species to identify cause of ‘rat hole’ in pavement

  6. ABC 7 Chicago

    Biology Letters study claims to solve mystery behind Chicago Rat Hole (opens ABC 7 Chicago)

    Published

    ABC 7 Chicago's feed description

    The mystery of that infamous Chicago Rat Hole on the sidewalk may be solved as a study in Biology Letters concludes it was actually a squirrel.

  7. Phys

    Chicago's viral 'rat hole' was not made by a rat after all, new study finds (opens Phys)

    Published

    Phys's feed description

    After existing quietly for over two decades on a Roscoe Village sidewalk in Chicago, a rodent-shaped indent became an internet sensation in 2024, when a tweet by comedian and writer, Winslow Dumaine, brought it into the public eye.

  8. NBC Chicago

    What animal actually made Chicago's famous 'rat hole'? Scientists believe they found out (opens NBC Chicago)

    Published

    NBC Chicago's feed description

    Scientists who inspected Chicago's famous "rat hole" now believe the imprint was not actually made by a rat.

  9. Science News

    The viral Chicago ‘Rat Hole’ almost certainly wasn't made by a rat (opens Science News)

    Published

    Science News's feed description

    Researchers used methods from paleontology to analyze the quirky local landmark, created when a rodent of a certain size fell into wet concrete.

  10. CNN

    Mistaken rodent identity: The ‘Chicago Rat Hole’ wasn’t made by a rat (opens CNN)

    Published

    CNN's feed description

    The “Chicago rat hole” of viral internet fame wasn’t made by a rat at all, researchers say.

  11. New York Post

    Chicago’s infamous ‘rat hole’ likely caused from another critter, researchers say (opens New York Post)

    Published

    New York Post's feed description

    Researchers think they have debunked the origin of Chicago’s so-called “rat hole,” one of the Windy City’s weirdest local landmarks.

  12. The Hill

    ‘Chicago Rat Hole’ is not imprint of rat, study suggests (opens The Hill)

    Published

    The Hill's feed description

    A new study suggests that Chicago's iconic sidewalk rat hole is likely not the imprint of a rat at all.

  13. NBC News

    Chicago's 'rat hole' sidewalk landmark was likely made by a squirrel or muskrat, researchers say (opens NBC News)

    Published

    NBC News's feed description

    Researchers think they have debunked the origin of Chicago’s so-called “rat hole,” one of the Windy City’s weirdest local landmarks

Identical headlines usually mean shared wire copy. They are counted as separate articles but are not independent confirmation.

‘Chicago Rat Hole’ is not imprint of rat, study suggests | Since Then